Secrets and Keepers
by lauren.buss.79
Summary: 15 year old Dopsie Higgins (sister of Racetrack) is the only girl Newsie in Brooklyn. Through twisted relationships and a haunting past that won't leave her and Racetrack alone, she learns the meaning of the title 'The King of Brooklyn' and why to fear it. What happens when the past catches up with her?
1. Chapter 1

When you're a Newsie in New York there are many things that you want to be, and many things you don't want to be. I'm going to focus on some specifics though. There are two main people you wanna that you want to be on good terms with at all times. Those people, are 1. Jack Kelly, Leader of Manhattan, and 2. Spot Conlon, The King of Brooklyn. Now I'm going to get more specific when if you can only have one of these boys on good terms you want it to be Spot. I know what you may be thinking, "who are you to tell me who I should and shouldn't be on good terms with?" And I'm gonna tell you why you should listen to me. Because once upon a time, I was on bad terms with Spot and Jack. And those were the worst days of my life.

It was a chilly October day in Brooklyn. I was up before Spot and the boys (like always). I stretched and yawned and hopped off my bunk, as quietly as I could, as to not wake any of the sleeping newsies. Grabbing my day clothes (Brown knickers, suspenders, and a button up plaid shirt) I started toward the wash room. On my way I peered out the window. It was still dark.. I passed a boys best vest that held a pocket watch. I pulled it out and read the time. 3:12. I yawned again at the sight of the early early time and slid the watch back into the pocket. The Brooklyn newsies washroom was the most foul washroom I had ever been in, I truly hated going in there. Quick as I could, I washed my face and got changed for the day. The rest of the boys don't have to get up until 7:00 and thats exactly when they would. I had four hours to kill, and I was just about to go sit back on my bunk to write a letter to my brother Racetrack, (He was a Newsie over in Manhattan) when I decided to get a head start on my papes instead. Reaching my hand down into my pocket I felt the change jingle around. Maybe about sixty cents, I guessed. That's enough for fifty papes and some bread for lunch. I looked over the sleeping boys before hurrying down the stairs and out to the distribution center.

The distribution center in Brooklyn was always open early, and by now the clock on the tower outside the lodging house read 4 o'clock. I trudged up the ramp and without words slammed my coins on the counter. The man handed me my papes.

Two and half hours later I had sold all my papes, returned to the lodging house to find all the boys were still sound asleep. This was a normal occurrence for me. I found it was easier to get the selling out of the way and have more time to do things I wanted to do. Bored, I decided to go "wake up" Spot. Okay so maybe I'm not little Miss Perfect, and yeah, I've slept with Spot a few times before. It's not like a big deal, or I get treated any different by him because of it.

Leaping from my bunk, I practically skipped across the bunk room to the double doors of Spots room. Quiet as I could manage, I opened the left door the smallest amount needed for me to squeeze through, closing it behind me. I tip toed across the room to his bed, where he lay sprawled out in the middle, fast asleep. I studied him for a minute. He looked so innocent, so young, lying there asleep. He was exactly the opposite of innocent though. In my mind I debated the best way to wake him up. I decided on the sexy approach. I smirked at myself as I slowly and silently put one knee up on the bed, swinging my other across, so that I was straddling his upper thighs. I lowered my self to where I was sitting on him. After untucking and unbuttoning my shirt and slipping my suspenders off my shoulders, I leaned in on the still sleeping Spot Conlon. I lightly drew spirals on his chest with my right index finger, while I slipped my left hand under his head and began to lift it up.

"Spot..." I whispered seductively.

"It's time to get up and sell papes baby..." I said just a bit louder. His eyes began to flutter open, and he smirked at the sight of me. I stared into his deep blue eyes, and if only for a moment, lost myself in them, although it felt like forever. Our stare was broken when he grabbed me and flipped himself over me so that he was now on top, and had me pinned down. He laughed.

"C'mon doll face. Youse wanna have a little fun before we'se gotta go sell some papes?" he smirked.

"Oh but Spot I'se sold all my papes already. I'se gotta a whole day to kill," I smirked myself.

"Youse can't spare just a little bit of it for me?" Spot asked with fake concern and longing. I pushed his face closer to mine. He leaned in and began to devour my mouth like he owned it, our tongues battling inside each others mouths. My laughter interrupted his work and I pushed him off of me.

"Maybe later Spot," I said teasingly. He gave me a fake pouty face. I smiled and sat up on the edge of his bed. He hopped up and started to get dressed. I gazed at him, chin resting on my fists.

"So Dopsie, has youse already been out and sold ya papes for today?" He asked as he buttoned up his shirt, stopping half way up like he alway did.

"Of course Spot, all 50, like always. Why youse needs help sellin yours?" I joked. Spot rolled his eyes.

"Watch it Higgins," he sneered, complete with a smirk.

"Youse needs me to do anything before I head down to 'Hattan to see Race?" I asked ignoring his empty threat.

"I'd ask ya ta clean somethin but I'se know bettah than ta waste my breath," Spot joked. I didn't think it was funny. Being sexist and obnoxious were two things Spot tended to be good at. I watched him pull on his hat. Ignoring him still, I went on.

"I'se stayin in 'Hattan all day. Youse comin to Medda's party tonight ain't cha?" He nodded in confirmation.

"See ya den Spotty." I said with a wink as I slipped out of the door of his room.

"GET UP YOUSE LAZY BUMS TIME TA CARRY DA BANNER!" I yelled as I made my way across the bunk room. I swung over the banister and slid down it.


	2. Chapter 2

*flashback*

I lied in the bottom bunk, of the tiny state room. The boat rocked violently. I felt my stomach churning. This had been a nightly occurrence for me for the past week, since me and my big brother left Italy for New York.

"Vinny..? Are you still awake?" I asked, up to the top bunk where my brother lied, trying to hold back tears.

"Yeah Maggie. What's the matter?"  
He heard the suppressed tears in my voice. His thick Italian accent reminded me so much of papa's. I felt a tear escape my eye.

"Vinny, I miss mama and papa. I hate this stupid boat. Why do I have to go to America?" I stammered through angry and confused tears. I was only twelve years old. I knew there were things Vinny knew that I didn't.

"We're going to America because papa had some bad guys who could have hurt us. So mama and papa are sending us to America so those guys couldn't hurt us, the way they wanted to hurt papa," Vinny said, talking like it were some epic fairy tale. I sniffled a little. My home sickness and sea sickness overwhelming me into sobs.

"Maggie, don't cry. Don't cry. I know it doesn't seem too great right now, but I promise, it'll get better. We have each other. And mama and papa will come to America as soon as they have the money. They promised." Vinny's words brought comfort to my childish mind. The bed above me creaked as Vinny climbed down to me on the bottom bunk. He lied down beside me and wrapped his arms around me.

"We're gonna be okay, Maggie. I promise. I'm always going to protect you, my kid sister. No matter where we go, no matter what happens, were gonna stick together." Vinny said, sounding more like papa than ever, I swear I heard him holding back some tears too.

"Always?" I asked, scared.

"Always." Vinny reassured me. Through tears, I started to sing the soft Italian lullaby that mama would sing to us when we would have night terrors. Vinny joined me, his velvety voice sang the Italian with ease. His voice was deep and course for his fourteen years. Slowly I drifted into a light sleep, wrapped in my brothers embrace to the sound if his singing.


	3. Chapter 3

Despite the very long walk to Manhattan from Brooklyn, I was in a great mood. I loved going to see Race. I did almost everyday, so I knew my way around Manhattan just as well as I knew my way around Brooklyn. The Newsies in Manhattan were all so nice to me too. Maybe because I was Race's kid sister, maybe because I was a girl. I didn't care why, as long as they were. Another reason I loved coming to Manhattan so much, was because I had a thing with one of the newsies. A ~secret~ thing. Race would soak any boy who he knew was getting busy with his sister. I wanted to see him before I found my brother, and we would have to act like we had no romantic element to our relationship at all. His voice rang in my head,

"Try bottle alley or da harbor," I smiled. I missed him, his curly hair, his caramel skin. I came up on the harbor, and sure enough, there he was, selling his last pape. Quiet as I could manage, I came up behind him and slipped my hands over his eyes.

"Guess who?" I said with a sing songy tone in my voice. His hand reached back and rested on my hip as he pivoted around and planted a kiss on my lips. I grinned up at him.

"Be careful Mush, we'se don't want no one seein us!" I joked at him. He ignored my warning,

"Heya baby! I'se missed ya, where's ya been?" He wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned in for another kiss. I swung my arms around his neck and let him kiss me.

"I'se done sellin my papes Dopsie... If youse wanna do something before you go see Race.." Mush suggested.

"Like what?" I smiled knowingly. Mush pushed me over and into a secluded alley.

"Like this," Mush smirked, and kissed me. Not like how Spot kissed me, like I was his property and he was trying to assert his dominance, but with genuine passion and longing. He pushed me up against the wall and leaned on me. He ran his hand under my hat and through my hair. I wrapped a leg around the small of his back. He grabbed my thighs and I swung the other leg around so that he was holding me, and pushing me against the wall. All of the sudden, an unmistakable voice, outfitted with a thick Italian/ New York accent called out,

"Aya Mush! Where are youse? Ise off to da track, I'se just wants to know if youse wanted to come along! Mush?!" My eyes shot open, I pulled away from our kiss, and put my feet back on the ground.

"Dammit, Race!" I whispered to a flustered and reluctant Mush. He rolled his eyes and I started out of the alley, Mush behind me.

"Aya Racetrack!" Mush said, spotting Race across the street from us, I elbowed Mush in the side. Ignoring Mush, Race instead took sight of me, my pale face slightly reddened, crooked hat and suspenders slipping off my shoulder,with an equally flustered Mush.

"Aya sis.. What brings youse to 'Hattan?" He asked with suspicion out weighing his actual concern of my being there. He eyed Mush. Oh man, if looks could kill.

"Why do I'se always drop by? To see my big brudder of course." I said as genuinely as I could force myself to sound. He seemed to buy it.

"Well do youse wanna come with me and Mush to da track? I'se gotta hot tip on da horse.." He trailed off.

"That sounds nice. Are youse boys comin to Meddas tonight?" I asked trying to change the subject as fast as I could. Mush caught on.

"Yeah, I am. I'se loves going ta Meddas, how about youse Race?" Mush tried to play along.

"Come ta think of its, I'se really don't's wanna go to da track today. I'se needa talk to Dopsie for awhile Mush, if youse wouldn't mind," Race jeered and took me by the wrist, pulling me away. We started walking aimlessly. Race was walking so fast I strained to keep up with him.

"Race.. C'mon it ain't really what it looks like," he ignored me and kept walking.

"Race! We'se has to talk about it. Okay? I'se ain't a kid no more!" He continued to ignore me.

"Race! Stop acting like a child and just talk to me!" He stopped dead in his tracks, but he still didn't say a word.

"Vinny... Can we please just talk about this?" I reached out to touch his shoulder. The moment I placed my hand on him, I felt him tense up. He turned around and looked me in the eyes.

"Please don't call me Vinny." His voice was as hard as stone and his tone as cold as ice. The glint in his eyes told me something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Vinny... What's the matter.. What.. What happened..?" I felt scared, like I had three years ago on the boat from Italy.

"They found us, Maggie, they're here."


	4. Chapter 4

*flash back*

"No, Maggie, when you throw, you've got to throw like this." Vinny took the ball out of my hands and walked across our small, quiet Italian street.

"Are you watching my form Maggie?" Vinny called from across the cobblestone streets.

"Yeah!" I screamed back at Vinny. I loved him and all, but he was very bossy when it came to sports. The sudden crash from our house interrupted Vinny's concentration.

"MARGARET! VINCENT! Hurry into the house! Come quick!" Our mother screamed, afraid. We knew what to do. Vinny grabbed his ball and held it under his arm. We rushed inside. Even though this was routine, our mother was petrified every time they came. Consequently, she ushered us up the stairs with haste, and we slid under Vinny's bed just in time to hear that knock at the door. The one we always dreaded. I moved closer to Vinny, holding him tight. Mother did the stupid thing, and didn't answer the door right away. The men barged in, like they always did, screaming in Italian. Nothing had changed. They wanted the money papa owed them. Our papa was a notorious gambler, and somehow had managed to upset the mafia. They came all the time to our house, looking for something. This is all Vinny would ever tell me. Here my thoughts were broken by mama's faint screams from downstairs, slams and crashes and all the sounds of painful chaos. I shivered in Vinny's arms. Not of cold, but of pure fear. I was over come with tears, and they poured out in racking sobs. Vinny held me tighter, and began to sing to me the soft Italian lullaby mama would sing to us when we had night terrors. Mamas screams became louder and so did some footsteps. I felt Vinny shake as he sang quieter but faster to me. I clung to my brother, weak from my tears. The men from the mafia came into me and Vinny's room, the same room we were hiding in. Mama was quietly sobbing as the men, still screaming fast in Italian, threw mama onto the bed under which we were hiding. They did really bad things to mama, Vinny told me eventually. I kept Vinny, close to me and silently sang with him, while the mafia men did bad things to mama.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh Spot!" I screamed. I grabbed the sheets under me, trying to keep myself sane as Spot fucked me. I had been fucked plenty of times before, by plenty of guys yeah. But when Spot fucked me, I felt something else. My usually confident and independent self, when I was with Spot, turned into a helpless, submissive, codependent little girl. No one else ever made me feel that way, and I loved it. It was amazing. Mush, he made me feel loved, and important, but not how Spot did.

Sure it made me feel like crap when I thought about the fact I fucked two guys. I was Mush's girl, he asked me to be, and the whole point of that is so that I couldn't go sleeping around. But I did anyway. Like I said, it really did make me feel like shit. And if it really made me feel so guilty, than I should've stopped right? Probably, but I was a young girl, hormones and all, and I needed room to explore my sexuality. Suddenly as it had began I felt Spot tense up inside of me.

"Spot!" I screamed my reminder to him through jagged breaths to pull out. Although it took a second for him to catch on, he pulled out before he blew his load inside of me. No one wanted me getting pregnant, so the last move was crucial. Spot rolled off of me, breathing short deep breaths.

After Race had told me they had found us here in New York, I put it together, and figured our parents were gone. I had become livid all of the sudden, at Race, at my parents, angry at every one but the people who'd caused all my problems to begin with. So I ran away from Manhattan, I haven't been back since. It's been almost a week since I've seen Mush or talked to Race. Trying as I did, I couldn't go on like normal. I got up early, sold my papes, and instead of spending the day in Manhattan I would spend my days with Spot, having more and more sex. Because what else would bored teenagers do? The sex was also a way to keep Spot from asking me why I stopped spending so much time in Manhattan. Because if he was happy, no questions would be asked. And if there was anything that made Spot happy, it was sex. Sex sex sex sex sex. It was an open discussion for me, it had been since Race got here. I found out that if you wanted something from a teenage boy, sex was the way to get it. At this point in my life, and under the circumstances that I was there was a lot of things I relied on teenage boys for. I wouldn't want to feel in debt to someone, because, well debt has made itself part of my family history.

We got up from the bed and got half dressed, and ten lied back on the bed. Spot turned onto his side to face me. I was still hot and short of breath from the ecstasy I had just experienced at the hands of The King of Brooklyn. He gazed at me, like an artist would gaze upon a creation of theirs, outfitted with a smirk and the deepness of his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, and before I could stop him, he asked the question I'd been avoiding for days now.

"So doll face, why has youse stopped going to 'Hattan lately?" I knew he didn't mean anything by it, but I still couldn't shake the feeling that he knew something I didn't. I wanted to lie, to tell him there was no reason, maybe that Jack had made me angry, but I couldn't bring myself to lie to Spot. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and let out a long sigh.

"Spot, can youse.. Keep a secret? It's a big secret and I'se don't want no one who I'se don't trust knowing." The minute I spoke the words I regretted not trusting my initial instinct to lie. Spots eyes became soft as he loosened his stare. He lifted up his arm and rested his head in his hand.

"Is everything okay..?" He had sensed the fear in my words, his cautious and warm tone welcomed the gush I was about spew out of my mind.

"Spot I'm in big, big, trouble..." I began. I told Spot every feasible detail of my families past all the way up to the last thing Race had told me. Somewhere in my emotional rant, I had began to cry, making my speech unintelligible, and Spot had snuggled up to me, the way Race would when I was upset and scared. Like Race, he didn't say a word, instead he listened to my thoughts as they poured out, through tears. Most of the time, Spot was an obnoxious antagonizing sexist jerk, but at certain times, Spot was a caring and decent person. That was one of those times. When he held me and listened to me


	6. Chapter 6

*flashback*

I held onto Vinny's shirt as tight as I could, making sure my grip never loosened. Our boat had arrived at Ellis island two day earlier, and today, they told us, was the latest we would spend here before we were given our official papers and released.

The two days we had spent here so far, were far from hospitable. When we first arrived we were ushered into a building with hundreds or maybe even thousands of other people. As we entered the room, despite the chaos, we met a man at the door, who asked us our name, age, and country of origin. Vinny had told me before,

"They aren't too keen on unaccompanied minors, they don't show no sympathy for no one. So you tell them you're fifteen, and I'll tell them I'm seventeen, got it?" i knew i looked much older than I was. i was short, but I had filled out nicely in my time, giving me an appearance of an older girl. I nodded, and we reached the man at the door, who eyed us suspiciously.

"Brother and sister?" The man asked. Vinny took this in stride.

"Yes sir,"

"Name?" He continued on to Vinny.

"Vincent Polichino." Vinny spouted confidently.

"Age and country of origin?" The man asked.

"Seventeen, Naples, Italy, sir," he said as politely as he could, despite his lie. The man noddded and ushered Vinny into the room, before he could protest, leaving me by myself with the man.

"Name?" He asked me just how he had Vinny.

"Margaret-Bella Polichino." I stuttered to the man.

"You know girl, it's a good thing you and your brother speak English," he said, making me worried.

"Age, Country of origin?"

"15, Naples, Italy," the man ushered me into the room he had Vinny. Luckily, Vinny hadn't moved, so I found him immediately.

This was only one of many encounters we had had. And I was so relieved when they finally turned us loose on to the streets of New York.

Not the slightest clue what to do, I did as I always did, and followed Vinny's lead. The way he strutted with such confidence, you'd think he'd lived here all his life, if not for the two suitcases in his hands. After almost an hour of what was to me aimless walking, I asked Vinny,

"Where are we going?" He smiled at me.

"We're going to Brooklyn."

"Why..?" I questioned.

"To sell newspapers," he told me, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

We neared a building, and thought rushed through my head.

"You have to quit acting like you're three years old. You're twelve, and almost thirteen! The man at Ellis Island thought you were fifteen! Fifteen year olds don't cry. You need to straighten up your act, fast," I scolded myself, and made an intrapersonal pact to stop acting like such a baby.

Vinny knocked on the door.

"I'll do the talking," I told Vinny, causing him to look at me concerned, but he nodded nonetheless. A young, yet smug boy answered the door.

"Who are youse," he asked annoyed.

"I'm Maggie, and me and my brother Vinny here are here to sell newspapers," I stated as confidently as I could. The boy rolled his eyes and held up a finger, then left. Moments later, another boy appeared at the door.  
He smirked at the sight of me, a smirk that said something I couldn't quite decipher.

"Youse here ta be some of me newsies?" He asked with a dominant stature I'd never seen in a young boy before. I nodded, unable to find any words to speak to the boy. He studied us for a second, before he spoke. When he spoke, he spoke to Vinny.

"Is dis youse sistah?"

"Yeah," Vinny answered suspiciously. The boy smiled.

"We'se really short on bunks, but I'se be glad to take the goil." He said, smirking at me. Vinny stepped in right away.

"No. Anywhere she goes I go. Period. End of story." I stared at Vinny in disbelief.

"My brother doesn't know what he's talking about," I told the boy. Vinny looked at me confused.

"Look kid, a few hours from here is 'Hattan. Dey need a couple of newsies over dere. When ya get there, tell em Spot sent ya. Youse can still see ya sistah, we'se got ties with 'Hattan, we see dem a lot" The boy, supposedly called Spot, told Vinny. A reluctant Vinny eyed me, and said to me,

"Maggie. Are you sure you're okay with staying here? You can always come with me, but you gotta chose now." I wanted, more than anything to go with Vinny. But I wouldn't let myself do it, I had to be independent.

"Goodbye Vinny. I'll see you soon," I stuttered, and gave my brother a kiss on the cheek. He looked up at me with sad, yet proud eyes,and handed me my suitcase. And with that, I was left with Spot. He turned to me with a smirk and led me inside the lodging house.

"LISTEN UP! Youse is to treat this goil like she's me property." Spot said and gestured toward me.

"Ain't no one lay a hand on her or I'll soak ya, like that," Spot continued to his Newsies, snapping his fingers at the end. The boys in the room really feared Spot, I could tell by the way their eyes got big when he talked to them. He turned to me,

"Follow me," he said softly, sensing my fear of the new place with out my brother. He led me to a room.

"This is my room. Our room now. Ise don't want youse sleeping out in da bunk room with those boys. Ise wouldn't want nothing to happen to a pretty little goil like youse." He winked at me.

"Everyone has a nick name 'round here doll face. I'se put a lot of thought into youse... From now on, youse Dopsie," he told me with a smirk. And from then on out, I was Dopsie. No if's, and's, or but's.

That very night I found out why I was here and why Vinny wasn't. It wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be, in fact it was very enjoyable, and something I knew I'd be doing a lot in the foreseeable future.


	7. Chapter 7

It'd been weeks since I'd seen Mush, and I missed him. I wasn't all too enthused about returning to Manhattan after my prolonged absence.

My only nice dress was provocative to say the least, strapless, with a short skirt that ballooned out in ruffles like a flimsy, slightly like an upside down, drooping umbrella, and a fitted bodice and bust. It was white with bright flowers of warm tones, covering most of the white. I always wore it to Medda's, with tall black heels. Medda had given me these things when she made the realization I had no nice clothes, along with a stick of bright red lipstick, which I put on everyday. I NEVER left the lodging house with out a coat of bright red lipstick. It was my staple. Since receiving my first two years ago, I've gone through 14 lipsticks, getting them as gifts and from Medda.

I made the trek to Medda's by myself, carrying my heels. When I arrived, I put on my shoes before I went inside. I leaned against the outside of Irving Hall, got my lipstick out of my bra, and layered it on my lips.

Pushing open the door, I entered on an absolutely full house. I saw Mush right away, cheering on Medda next to Kid Blink and Skittery. A smile formed on my lips as our eyes met. He slinked away, unnoticed by his friends, and began to walk toward me, grinning the way he did. He put his hands on my hips and looked down into my eyes, (even in heels I was still shorter than him).

"Maybe we'se should go somewhere... More private..?" I asked hopefully. Mush gladly obliged and we raced to a closet in the back of Medda's.

After a lot of making out to celebrate out reunion, he took me by the hand and began to lead me out back into the crowd. I gave him a look and he realized that even with the excitement he couldn't be affectionate toward me in front of anyone. I gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Youse wanna, go for a walk?" I asked.

"Of course." He said with a grin. In the light of the night outside, Mush took my hand and we walked together, for hours and I wished it didn't end.


End file.
